Rothschild to lead strategic review that could see New Look sale

New Look’s owners have appointed Rothschild to oversee a strategic review that could lead to the sale of the high street fashion retailer in the coming year. The move follows unsolicited approaches from potential buyers and puts a possible change of hands at the center of the business’s near-term plans. Officials say the process is ongoing and no timetable has been set, while insistence remains that trading will continue as normal for customers and staff.

The fashion chain, which operates nearly 340 UK stores and employs around 10,000 people, has been under the control of Alcentra and Brait since 2020. They commissioned Rothschild after drawing interest from external investors. A New Look spokesperson stressed that management remains focused on day-to-day operations and pursuing a strategy aimed at long-term growth, noting that the company is performing well with momentum from a strong summer period and gains in online market share.

New Look has weathered a series of financial and strategic restructurings in recent years. A refinancing package of about 100 million pounds was arranged in 2023, followed by a 30 million-pound equity injection earlier this year to accelerate its...